Domestic Violence and Abuse Against Women

"Every year from 2 million to 4 million Americans are being abused by male partners, many of which have been severely attacked and thousands have been killed" (www.mayoclinic.com) . These statistics are amazing. Domestic abuse is seen not only in violence but also in psychological abuse. Domestic violence is widespread in the United States, mainly due to fears caused by abusers. This problem is recognized in the United States, and a lot of work is done to solve this problem.

Violence by firearms is intertwined with domestic violence and violence against women. Where abusers have guns, women who are victims of domestic violence are five times more likely to be murdered by abusers. In average one month, 50 women of intimate partners in the United States were shot dead (FBI, Supplemental Murder Report 2010 - 2014, see http://bit.ly/1yVxm 4 K). In New York State, the number of protection orders issued annually is about 300 thousand, which also proves the degree of risk.

Domestic violence is a common phenomenon, and more and more governments pay attention to it. There are three main types of domestic violence, including violence against women, child abuse and elder abuse. As domestic violence mainly involves violence against women, this article will consider violence against women in Hong Kong. The United Nations found violence against women as a "major obstacle" to achieve women's equality, development and peace in 1985 (1), but each country does not seem to emphasize this. Studies have shown that one in three people in the world experienced violence in an intimate relationship. (World Health Organization, 1997) (12)

Domestic violence involves physical, mental, economic or mental abuse by her intimate partner. Men can be a victim of domestic violence, but it is often a perpetrator of violence against women. The national alliance to domestic violence states that one in four women and one in victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence counselors play an important role in helping victims recover from abuse and begin to rebuild their lives.